I have the right to do anything I want to do. I'm the president of the United States.
-- Donald Trump, this week
I would like to fly the American flag, where I live. However, I’m afraid that where I live would completely misunderstand the reason I would fly it. As much as I would like it to be about patriotism, the community I live in would tend to read it, especially right now, as nationalism.
There is a distinction between patriotism and nationalism.
And, I think it's pretty obvious who is leveraging the difference — someone who doesn't care about the distinction in the first place and believes he can do anything he wants...to anything (and to anyone).
This piece was not intended to be a mantra about the virtues of patriotism or diatribe against nationalism (though both are certainly needed). It is about the vagaries of arrogance or, even worse, conceit.
The degree of meddling in all aspects of society is not only stunning, it is deeply disturbing. Is this what a President is (not to mention, should be)? I think we have another word for it.
"He's just a businessman"...or, so it is claimed. No, I don't think so. He is far more than that. An attempt to itemize the detail involved would stunt our senses (and certainly truncate the reading here). He is dragging our collective down, hoping we won't notice until it is too late.
Historically, there has only been one thing that can stop this kind of power-grab — the people.
Will we? Or, are we just done with freedom?
Typically, I recognize and resist the urge for simple ranting. The harder part nearly always is what to do about it. What is needed is now so vast, that more often than not, we just feel overwhelmed and don't do much of anything. But, how bad will it have to get before we do something? I'm afraid we are finding out. If it hasn't hit home yet, perhaps we just need to wait a little longer until the loyalty spot-light shines fully on us...and whether we are flying the flag or not.
If only it could look more like this....
